All things rustic

I’m an avid reader of all kinds of books, so when eReaders came onto the scene, I was quick to get a Kobo of my own. It’s hard to deny the convenience of having a library in the palm of your hand. I use it occasionally, especially to borrow eBooks from the library, but I personally still prefer the weight of a real paper tome in my hands.

That was my first thought when I picked up ‘Cabbages & Roses Living Life Beautifully’ by Christina Strutt. It’s hefty, hard-cover and can only be described as a coffee-table book for home fashion. Cabbages & Roses is a London-based mail order business (if you love pretty things, see their website: www.cabbagesandroses.com) and Christina Strutt is its creative director. Living Life Beautifully is the story of how Strutt grew the business into a lifestyle brand.

If I had to describe this book with one word, it would be ‘texture.’ Ornately-framed mirrors, wood-panelled walls, touchable textiles and dynamic colours leap off every page. Quaint and classic, bright and airy, the scenes that unfold over nearly 200 pages reflect Strutt’s inspirations and creative views: “I have always firmly advocated that homes need to be filled with more than just lovely things. To be really beautiful, they must be lived-in, with the ‘things’ complementing the human stories that run through them.”

The sense of style in this book is vintage and antique. The rooms depicted (those in Strutt’s London apartment and her country home as well) in oodles of colour photography are the epitome of cottage chic. With a focus on fabrics and florals, Living Life Beautifully is particular to taste; it’s not geared toward seekers of modern, clean lines. If you have a love of all things rustic, this book is for you.

The book wraps up with a secret pocket on the inside-back cover, which contains four floral postcards for romanticized correspondence — a lovely takeaway that perfectly reflects everything that this book represents.